The responsibilities of each agency is described briefly
below. If you have questions or need more information, please contact us.

Environmental Protection Agency

The Environmental Protection Agency is responsible for
developing site-specific standards for Yucca Mountain, Nevada.
These standards protect public health and the environment
from harmful exposure to the radioactive waste which would
be stored and disposed in the proposed underground geologic
repository. EPAs standards address all environmental
pathways: air, ground water, and soil.

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is responsible for implementing
the standards developed by EPA. NRC is also responsible
for determining whether DOE can meet the standards, which
is a prerequisite to opening the repository.

Department of Energy

The U.S. Department of Energy is responsible for the construction,
management, and operation of the potential geologic repository
at Yucca Mountain, Nevada.

DOE follows Occupational Safety and Health Administration
regulations to ensure the safety and health of workers on-site.
DOE is working with the Department of Interiors U.S.
Geological Survey on site characterization issues and activities.

If the site is licensed and approved to accept radioactive
waste, DOE would obtain a license, construct, operate, monitor,
and close the repository.

Before any waste could be transported to the site, DOE
would route the carriers using Department of Transportation
and Nuclear Regulatory Commission regulations.

DOE's Transporting Nuclear Waste web site
This site describes DOE's program for developing
shipping caskets, complying with federal transportation
regulations, and providing assistance to emergency
response organizations in states through which shipments
to Yucca Mountain will pass.

Nuclear Regulatory Commission

The Nuclear Regulatory Commission is responsible
for determining whether DOE will receive the necessary licenses
to dispose of spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive
waste in the potential Yucca Mountain repository.

Now that EPA's standards are finalized, NRC will revise its
regulations to be consistent with EPA's standards.

If the Yucca Mountain site is approved to accept waste,
shipments by NRC licensees to the site would be made in
accordance with NRC and DOT transportation regulations.
NRC is the approving authority for safeguard and security
(theft and sabotage protection) of spent-fuel transportation.

Department of Transportation

If waste transportation to Yucca Mountain is authorized,
the Department of Transportation would be charged with ensuring
that waste carriers comply with routing regulations and
guidelines. Radioactive waste carrier drivers must be trained
and retrained each year to tackle a variety of transport
conditions and situations, including rough terrain and severe
weather conditions. Drivers must complete a First Responders
Course, to help them prepare for incident prevention and
response. Additional emergency response support is provided
by the Federal Emergency Management Administration which
assists state and local governments in developing emergency
response plans.

Mine Safety and Health Administration/
Department of Labor

The Mine Safety and Health Administration of the Department
of Labor is responsible for ensuring the health and safety
of underground workers at the Yucca Mountain facility. MSHA
provides technical assistance and consultation services
and conducts on-site safety and health visits at the facility.

Mine Safety and Health
Administration (MHSA):Safety and Health Information
This site provides information about various
aspects of the MSHA mine safety.